Great new thread but there are lots of BPCR that are not single shot or lever action American rifles. Don't forget the doubles in .360, .450-400, .450, .500, .577 and 20-, 16-, 12-, 10-, 8-, and 4-bore.

I have lots of ballistic data if you wish. Also an interesting side bar is the use of these rifles with equivalent smokeless loads (makes international hunting possible).
Good job, Biebs and thanks, Saeed.
Cal

Cal, load 'em with black, the way they were born to be loaded!

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Great new thread but there are lots of BPCR that are not single shot or lever action American rifles. Don't forget the doubles in .360, .450-400, .450, .500, .577 and 20-, 16-, 12-, 10-, 8-, and 4-bore.

I have lots of ballistic data if you wish. Also an interesting side bar is the use of these rifles with equivalent smokeless loads (makes international hunting possible).
Good job, Biebs and thanks, Saeed.
Cal

ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING!
ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING!

I know nothing of the ins and outs of BPCR ammo for hunting in Africa.

Can it be carried in checked baggage like smokeless ammo?

Do you get black powder on the ground in South Africa and load the ammo there?

Handloading/reloading is legal in South Africa but illegal in Botswana.
How about Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, etc. ...???

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
Great new thread but there are lots of BPCR that are not single shot or lever action American rifles. Don't forget the doubles in .360, .450-400, .450, .500, .577 and 20-, 16-, 12-, 10-, 8-, and 4-bore.

I have lots of ballistic data if you wish. Also an interesting side bar is the use of these rifles with equivalent smokeless loads (makes international hunting possible).
Good job, Biebs and thanks, Saeed.
Cal

YES, somewhere out there is a beautiful SxS Purdey black powder .450 3-1/4" "hammer rifle" (Two hammers, each of which must be manually cocked before firing).

Dreadfully sorry I sold that little beauty.

One precaution, though. A lot of those old BP doubles are much more lightly built than their equivalent chambered NE rifles, so one must be very cautious not to "overcharge" them when loading with some of the modern black powder replacement propellants.

From what I have been told by several people on the Shiloh site that have been to Africa and carried s BPCR, ammo loaded with black powder is OK but loose is not. BP is classified as an explosive when it is in a can but it is not if in a cartridge. I have not been to Africa but when I go I will take my Shiloh with me and it will be loaded with black powder. My gun will never see a smokeless load.

You cannot carry loose powder of any kind, either smokeless or black, nor can you carry primers or percussion caps on an airliner. In a can or not, carrying powder of any sort is prohibited. There is an exception to this rule that allows up to eleven pounds of loaded sporting small arms ammunition per person for the personal use of passengers and crew.

That comes to 80 rounds, or four boxes of ammo for a 45 caliber rifle loaded with 500 grain bullets.

So no difference in regulations for loaded ammo whether loaded with black powder or smokeless.
What is Cal concerned about?

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
... Also an interesting side bar is the use of these rifles with equivalent smokeless loads (makes international hunting possible)...
Cal

Correct. He is concerned because he is misinformed, and like most people, hasn't actually read the fine print in the regulations. I have a copy of the statute, and have read it. Carefully.

When I travel, I carry a copy of the actual regs with me just in case, and have never had a problem.

Gents:
I may be misinformed but due to good reasons. Friends have had black powder ammmo confiscated at the airports and I have been personally told by airport TSA and airline personnel that black powder loaded ammo is prohibited--both domestic and international. If I'm wrong, that is good news. Perhaps the regs can be posted here for all to see and make travel a bit easier. I would welcome the chance to hunt with my bpc doubles with black rather than a smokeless equivalent.
Cal
PS. A good friend bought some 4-bore bp shotshells, old vintage stuff, and was denied to keep them in checked baggage, properly contained in an ammo box and original packaging. He had to surrender them to authorities but was able to call his relative to pick them up before he went through security. They remain in the lower 48. Also, since I live in Alaska and ammo can only be sent out on a barge or via FEDEX overnight air I have been denied shipment of bpc ammo via FEDEX due to (what they tell me) is a prohibition of bpc ammo on their and commercial airlines.
Just going on what I've been told and personal experiences of myself and others.

And, I'm not alone in this as many hunters have had their PHs stock in black powder in South Africa so they can load there and hunt as they have been told the same info as have I. And, not matter what the regs may say, one idiot official can dampen one's day.

quote:

Originally posted by sharpsguy:
Correct. He is concerned because he is misinformed, and like most people, hasn't actually read the fine print in the regulations. I have a copy of the statute, and have read it. Carefully.

When I travel, I carry a copy of the actual regs with me just in case, and have never had a problem.

Sharpsguy: Can you post the regs that allow bpc ammo to be taken aboard a domestic or international flight. Never have I been so elated to be incorrect. This would change my hunting greatly. Thanks if you can do this.
Cal